Now Baking: Salted Caramel Apple Pie Cookies

Now Baking: Salted Caramel Apple Pie Cookies

We don’t need to give you a reason to bake a fresh batch of cookies, but we’re going to anyway. Recipe developer Megan Porta has a new collection of beautiful bakeables that will have you scrambling for the nearest cookie sheet and cleaning out your local grocery of butter, sugar and flour. These salted caramel apple pie cookies are sure to become an instant classic.

I dare you to come up with three ingredients off the top of your head that go better together than sea salt, caramel and apples. I fell head over heels in love the first time I tasted this incredible flavor trio. Caramel with a bit of salt sends apple pie somewhere deep into outer space. But let’s be real. Apple pie is not the easiest thing to prepare. This cookie tastes even better than the pie, with much greater ease.

Topping

Directions

For the filling

In a medium bowl, combine the apples, lemon juice, butter, brown and granulated sugar and cinnamon. Mix well and set aside.

For the cookies

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer), combine the butter, brown and granulated sugar, egg and vanilla and beat on medium speed until creamy and free of lumps.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Mix well. Gradually add to the butter mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined.

Using a medium cookie scoop, place 1 1/2-tablespoon-size chunks of batter in your hands and roll into balls. Place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Press down in the center of each ball, creating a rimmed well.

Scoop 1 teaspoon of the filling into the center of each cookie well. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the filling is cooked through in the centers. Remove from the oven, transfer the cookies to a wire rack and let cool.

For the assembly

Drizzle approximately 2 teaspoons (10 g) of caramel over each cooled cookie and sprinkle with sea salt.